Lions RB Mikel Leshoure could be presumptive starter

Now that Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure has finished serving his two-game suspension, the Detroit Free Press's Dave Birkett speculates he could be a starter soon. On Sunday, the Lions relied on RBs Kevin Smith and Joique Bell to carry the load. Smith finished the game with 18 touches for 70 total yards and Bell had eight touches for 73 yards, the majority of which came on a long, 50-yard catch and run very late in the ball game. Leshoure could potentially give the Lions a true north-to-south runner between the tackles.

Fantasy Analysis:

Leshoure has a lot to prove. He missed all of his rookie season last year and faced off-the-field troubles that kept him, you guessed it, off the field. Smith has been the main breadwinner, but that didn't mean much on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. A mostly negated rushing attack failed to put Detroit in favorable positions on second and third downs. The Lions must find a balance to keep defenses honest and not allow secondaries to double and triple cover WR Calvin Johnson. Leshoure is worth a speculative add in deeper formats, but for now, there's still too many cooks in this kitchen.